Have I missed something but I thought we already had a female side in Second Division??  I take it this team wasn't connected to the club as a whole??

https://www.afc.co.uk/2024/10/24/booth-makes-dons-return/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGG_2VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHeSq2lNS0PTNnAQSHXT1timxNX2ugKhSax49cxE28OFMXtplFg8ayWptGA_aem_oQtR9w2TR4OuXguyOW1L8A

Bit of a statement there.

welcome back to Pittodrie, Scott Booth👍

Great news and fantastic to see him back at the club. 

Just now, Kowalski said:

Great news and fantastic to see him back at the club. 

Agreed mate 👍

Either merge the threads or delete the other one. They haven't been known as Aberdeen Ladies for years.

Anyway, welcome home Scott Booth. I don't cover the SWPL much these days, but was involved heavily when Booth was winning the lot with Glasgow City. Was always a wee thrill interviewing a guy I'd queued up to get his autograph when I was a kid.

 

Edited October 24, 20241 yr by Panda

1 hour ago, Panda said:

Either merge the threads or delete the other one. They haven't been known as Aberdeen Ladies for years.

 

So Mr Pernickety, do you have to work hard at it or does it come naturally 

I assume the other thread to which you refer to is this one, a thread that was commenced to generically discuss women's football NOT the female version of Aberdeen Football Club and hence the original poster placed it in the correct place in the first instance

 

 

Went along to Booth’s first game this afternoon - they got beat 7-1 by Hibs. 
 

Even before the game kicked off it was evident the Hibs team were bigger and stronger than us. In the second half Hibs seemed to have so much more fitness than our women. Booth has his work cut out trying to get some points in the league but I’m sure he will improve things. 
 

By all accounts there was more people there than usual (first time for me) and they’re issuing a plea for people to go along and support them as it helps them a great deal financially. I actually enjoyed the smaller environment and being much closer to the game. 

2 hours ago, Kowalski said:

Went along to Booth’s first game this afternoon - they got beat 7-1 by Hibs. 
 

Even before the game kicked off it was evident the Hibs team were bigger and stronger than us. In the second half Hibs seemed to have so much more fitness than our women. Booth has his work cut out trying to get some points in the league but I’m sure he will improve things. 
 

By all accounts there was more people there than usual (first time for me) and they’re issuing a plea for people to go along and support them as it helps them a great deal financially. I actually enjoyed the smaller environment and being much closer to the game. 

I meant to go today, but my daughter didn't fancy it, lazy shite. There's a big gulf between full time and part time in the women's league, it's basically two leagues. Booth will be judged on his games against the bottom half of the league. 

Why are our ladies part-timers? Would've thought the collective state of AFC finances could afford to pay them pro contracts 

37 minutes ago, Reekie_Red said:

Why are our ladies part-timers? Would've thought the collective state of AFC finances could afford to pay them pro contracts 

It's not as simple as just paying them. There are a lot of other issues. Many of the players have other jobs or university studies to work around. Women's football isn't the life changing career that men's can be, in terms of money made. You need maybe 50% of your squad on board with making the move to full-time, plus the young ones coming through being aware that they'll be expected to be full-time too. That's difficult to achieve and plan and takes time. It doesn't help when three of your best players who would have been likely to have helped start the process moved to hearts in the summer. 

The other problem is that the part time team is probably a loss maker as it is, and the crowds probably wouldn't sustain a full-time team in the medium term. I guess you have to compare it to the decision to go full-time for a team like Cove or Peterhead. It probably wouldn't be viable without a lot of unsustainable financial backing. In terms of individual players, they had guys like Rory McAllister playing for them who themselves refused the step to professional level, which will be similar to many of the women at the Dons. Of course, you can have mix of professional and semi professional players, which will be the balance going forward perhaps. 

Women’s team through to league cup semi final and been drawn against Hibs. Suspect they will end up will similar score line to men’s team. Ties to be played by 19th January. 

Good turn out for the Dons at Pittodrie tonight. 2-0 victory, and comfortably better than Utd. They're improving under Booth, and play some nice football at times. The keeper had some very ropey moments early doors, but settled down. Tenner for an adult and child is decent value. 

26 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Good turn out for the Dons at Pittodrie tonight. 2-0 victory, and comfortably better than Utd. They're improving under Booth, and play some nice football at times. The keeper had some very ropey moments early doors, but settled down. Tenner for an adult and child is decent value. 

Did they announce the attendance. Looked decent number in the main stand  in photos I saw.

9 hours ago, Jute said:

Did they announce the attendance. Looked decent number in the main stand  in photos I saw.

Possibly. You could announce the commencement of nuclear war over the main stand tannoy and naebidy would understand it. 

From FB comments it sounds as if there was considerably more at Pittodrie than would normally be at Balmoral. Kinda justifies the ladies playing at Pittodrie on a regular basis - it is the home of AFC after all, which they are most certainly a significant part of 

Edited March 15, 20251 yr by Reekie_Red
Sp

2 hours ago, Reekie_Red said:

From FB comments it sounds as if there was considerably more at Pittodrie than would normally be at Balmoral. Kinda justifies the ladies playing at Pittodrie on a regular basis - it is the home of AFC after all, which they are most certainly a significant part of 

Old Charlie has a problem with letting the riffraff near the grounds

2 hours ago, Reekie_Red said:

From FB comments it sounds as if there was considerably more at Pittodrie than would normally be at Balmoral. Kinda justifies the ladies playing at Pittodrie on a regular basis - it is the home of AFC after all, which they are most certainly a significant part of 

Possibly, but Balmoral is a good setup, and a decent little stand to sit in, and the kids can still run around. I think the crowd was probably down to the fact that it was a one-off at Pittodrie (it was similarly big last season against Montrose), rather than something they could sustain every week. I'm not convinced our pitch could cope with the two games per week either. The only downside to Balmoral is that it's the second coldest place on earth, with Cormack park being in first place. It'd have been great if the women's game had gone for a summer season. 

Merged into the correct thread 👋 

21 minutes ago, Kowalski said:

Merged into the correct thread 👋 

That's exactly the sort of world class moderation that the Dons talk fans have come to expect. It was an egregious error by someone who should know better.

Beaten by Partick today. They seemed to have started the season reasonably well but now seem to be struggling a bit. 
 

Tough league with a few being full time. 
 

Pumped out of the cup at home to Montrose. I’m sensing Booth is having a difficult second season. 

So it’s a play off on Friday night against Queens Park at the Tattie dome in Airdrie to avoid relegation. Live on BBC Alba. 

Cap off a truly honking season 

Dons 2-0 up at half time. 

2-0 up on Queens Park at half time.

4-0 up now so safe from relegation.